The big thing is how fast it's getting funded In this age when KS fatigue has hit in a big way.
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Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Campaign live on Fig
- Thread starter FelipeMGM
- Start date
The big thing is how fast it's getting funded In this age when KS fatigue has hit in a big way.
BrokenFiction
Member
And on a competitive platform that isn't as famous.
decoyplatypus
Member
Yeah, I was concerned watching the trailer that I didn't see any six-man parties. That would be a massive blow to my excitement.
CrichtonKicks
Member
I did not like the 4 man party in Tyranny. Not sure how I feel about 5- will be interesting to see how they handle it.
I wouldn't speak too fast just yet. I'm sure it will be funded but the post Day 1 dropoffs these days are totally dire.
Jon of the Wired
Member
Backed.
PoE was one of my favourite games of the last few years, and it seems like they'll be addressing most of the notable flaws in the sequel.
I'm surprised at how excited I am about the dynamic weather and NPC schedules. One of the real strengths of PoE is the quality of the world building, which was so just so far beyond what you would normally get from a video game in terms of cohesion and thoughtfulness. The benefit of that is that it makes the world seem more like a real place, which makes the people who inhabit the world feel more like real people, which makes it easier to empathize and feel emotionally invested in their problems.
In PoE, though, this was undercut by how static the in-game depiction of the world was. This was particularly bad in cities where there's just random groups of NPCs standing around for no obvious reason. By addressing that issue, and making the world feel more lived in on a moment-to-moment basis they can really drive home that feeling of Eothas being a real place, which can do a lot to enhance the player's connection with the story and characters.
Also, the set-up for PoE II is hilarious. I always knew leaving that crazy magic statue down there would bite me in the ass some day.
PoE was one of my favourite games of the last few years, and it seems like they'll be addressing most of the notable flaws in the sequel.
I'm surprised at how excited I am about the dynamic weather and NPC schedules. One of the real strengths of PoE is the quality of the world building, which was so just so far beyond what you would normally get from a video game in terms of cohesion and thoughtfulness. The benefit of that is that it makes the world seem more like a real place, which makes the people who inhabit the world feel more like real people, which makes it easier to empathize and feel emotionally invested in their problems.
In PoE, though, this was undercut by how static the in-game depiction of the world was. This was particularly bad in cities where there's just random groups of NPCs standing around for no obvious reason. By addressing that issue, and making the world feel more lived in on a moment-to-moment basis they can really drive home that feeling of Eothas being a real place, which can do a lot to enhance the player's connection with the story and characters.
Also, the set-up for PoE II is hilarious. I always knew leaving that crazy magic statue down there would bite me in the ass some day.
Seriously. Loading times in PoE were pretty dreadful even on an SSD.
decoyplatypus
Member
If it's a four-person party, I will probably back at the minimum to get the game. Five, and I'll swallow my doubts and give my biggest backing ever.
There was no mention of the combat which really needs a full overhaul. It was the worst part of the first game (along with the loot system). There's just too much stuff added to the combat system which makes normal fights way too easy and tough fights way too tough (like 3 fights in the whole game that can be considered tough), no middle ground ever. The loot was apparently made better in the dlc, but the main game burnt me due to the bad combat.
Baron von Loathsome
Member
Yeah, I saw that, I'm gonna cancel and re-back it with the coupon when I get home.
CrichtonKicks
Member
They talked about the new AI and focus on improved combat encounters in the video.
Also the PoE expansions had much better encounters as well.
I think in one of the streams Sawyer said that the thought 5 was the sweet spot. I'd be very surprised if it were 4.
One potential advantage to a slightly smaller party might be more fleshed out companions. They want people to feel like they have a lot of choice about their party composition, but since most people will have full parties that means having a lot of companions. So maybe this is a way to avoid spreading resources too thin across too many companions?
Dsyndrome
Member
You don't need to cancel, just edit your pledge and click the -$5 extra. It'll update, and everything's golden.
You can just click the link and then edit your pledge.
decoyplatypus
Member
The premise for this game--giant statue emerges from earth and marches across the ocean, with you trailing and asking it questions--is hilarious and dumb. I guess I'll go with it.
I am going to give Obsidian the benefit of the doubt with respect to the plotline they're pursuing. The cosmological business at the end of PoE and in The WM2 was not terribly effective, and the Watcher's past and degrading sanity were total misfires. But I think it's possible to look at these as missed opportunities that PoE can correct* rather than hopeless ideas that should be abandoned. The first step is that PoE2 needs to do a much better job of developing the cycle of souls and how the characters around the Watcher (and the Watcher himself/herself) should think about it.
*Well, not the Watcher's past. I can't think of a single reason why I should care what my character's soul did when it was incorporated in a completely different person.
I am going to give Obsidian the benefit of the doubt with respect to the plotline they're pursuing. The cosmological business at the end of PoE and in The WM2 was not terribly effective, and the Watcher's past and degrading sanity were total misfires. But I think it's possible to look at these as missed opportunities that PoE can correct* rather than hopeless ideas that should be abandoned. The first step is that PoE2 needs to do a much better job of developing the cycle of souls and how the characters around the Watcher (and the Watcher himself/herself) should think about it.
*Well, not the Watcher's past. I can't think of a single reason why I should care what my character's soul did when it was incorporated in a completely different person.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Loved the visuals of the first game, but I wasn't a fan of the lore they created. The combat system was total trash in my mind, too, and I didn't find it to be any fun at all. The whole thing just lacked any sense of wonder I got from those old Infinity Engine games (not that they were perfect). One of my biggest complaints were the backer rewards that let a bunch of random bullshit written by community members be used for most of the NPCs in those soul memory bits. Letting all of that garbage into the game completely devalued the lore and setting that Obsidian created for me. I realize I'm probably in the minority there, though.
Anoregon
The flight plan I just filed with the agency list me, my men, Dr. Pavel here. But only one of you!
I agree with the Watcher-centric stuff never really coalescing into anything terribly compelling, but I thought the big picture god stuff was very cool.
Lister
Banned
Going in at that $99 pledge point when I get back form work.
The graphics look significantly improved, I liked the new dynamic weather system too, and no loading of interiors is ace.
So hyped!!!
I watched the ME:A trailer after this one, and I couldn't keep my attention on it. Just kept on thinking about Pillars
The graphics look significantly improved, I liked the new dynamic weather system too, and no loading of interiors is ace.
So hyped!!!
I watched the ME:A trailer after this one, and I couldn't keep my attention on it. Just kept on thinking about Pillars
He is pretty handsome.
Hmm. I backed Psychonauts 2 and Consortium previously, but I don't have a code. Maybe I used it on Consortium last year.
Jon of the Wired
Member
Yeah. I really liked some of the big reveals and a lot of the stuff that happened near the end of the story. I actually thought the plot was good, overall, but that it was poorly communicated to the player. Even just the fact that you're a Watcher and awakened was confusing, because sometimes it'd be halfway through a scene before I realized I was experiencing a vision of my past, and not some other random jerk's.
TatteredHat
Member
Not funding it myself, I couldn't handle the (to me) outdated way combat and encounter design was handled. But I wish them the best of luck.
I felt that 4 was a tad too restrictive, but I do agree that 6 is way too many.
BrokenFiction
Member
I watched the ME:A trailer after this one, and I couldn't keep my attention on it. Just kept on thinking about Pillars
Same.
It will be in an email announcing Pillars 2
decoyplatypus
Member
I think the pantheon and the little worship journals/hymns/etc. were cool. And I actually like the
constructed gods
CecilRousso
Member
Interesting to see that regular pledges is so far double the amount of the fig investment money. Usually on Fig, at least when I have checked, it's the other way around.
Oh, must've missed the part about combat then, only heard about the improved AI. Probably paid too much attention trying to visually see if there's anything made better.
Also good to hear about the expansions.
Hopefully PoE2 really is a much better experience than PoE as I really like this type of games (Baldur's Gates being my favorites).
MasterMenace
Member
The new graphics, shadow, and lighting overhaul are incredible. Wow. Can't wait!
Brawndo Addict
Banned
Yeah it's tough because I do think the actual theology of the gods and their personality/schemes is very interesting. And I think they integrate that lore really well with the world's history and culture, e.g. Waidwen/Eothas, Hollowborn, Winter Elves / Souls, etc. I would love a game where I interact with that world/culture as it is on a more personal level.
Unfortunately Obsidian games tend to start out pretty grounded before inevitably, and almost comically, escalating out of control to the point that your player character becomes the most important and powerful person to have ever lived. At a certain point my character stops making real decisions and instead I, as a player, am being offered meta-lore decisions that would normally be answered by the game's writers during development.
What's fun for me is interacting with the lore and associated systems as given to me, not in deciding how I would change the lore in dramatic fashion by making the whole world undergo X or Y change. And what's worse is that they're usually meaningless choices because they're way too far-reaching for the designers to ever possibly incorporate them into the actual game, so they just manifest as vague one paragraph ending blurbs or the impacts are left entirely to your imagination.
For the second game's premise to literally be "one of the gods destroys your base and you gotta hunt him down" is just a bit too ridiculous.
Shake Appeal
Member
I prefer small parties. Everything about this is good.
not a fan of Mask of the Betrayer, I take it?
also, off the top of my head, the only Obsidian game that really fits that bill is New Vegas, whose world is self-contained and limited enough that i had no problem with being able to decide the fate of the region.